Solid Wood Products 2573 



Factors affecting changes in markets for hardwood flooring were studied by 

 Martens (1971). He concluded that regardless of room type (living room, dining 

 room, or bedroom), hardwood floors cost less than floors covered with composi- 

 tion tile or carpet. This is true both in terms of yearly cost and long-term cost. 

 Hardwood floors also have a wear life much longer than that of other flooring 

 materials. Wall-to-wall carpet, although two to three times as expensive as 

 hardwood, has the advantage of requiring less time to maintain; but the differ- 

 ence is not large. Composition tile is the cheapest floor material for an apartment 

 owner to have in his building; but tenant maintenance costs are high, and tenant 

 preferences indicate that tile is not as well received as hardwood, which is only 

 slightly higher in total cost. Wall-to-wall carpet is by far the most expensive to 

 the apartment building owner, although it is well received by the tenants. 

 Overall, in yearly cost, long-term cost, wear life, maintenance time, and prefer- 

 ence, hardwood floors appear to be the most practical for the single-family- 

 home owner, the apartment tenant, and the apartment building owner (Martens 

 1971). 



In view of this, why have sales of hardwood flooring diminished? Nevel 

 (1975) found that contractors were reluctant to use hardwood flooring because it 

 is difficult for them to obtain necessary quantities in the grades desired, at the 

 time needed, at a stable price. Also, hardwood flooring installation requires 

 skilled labor and more time than vinyl asbestos tile or carpet; these factors 

 combine to upset tight building schedules. 



Most hardwood flooring manufactured is y4-inch thick with 2-'/4-inch-wide 

 face and matching tongues and grooves machined on edges and ends. Some 

 flooring, particularly that sold on the West Coast, is only 5/16-inch thick with 

 square edges and ends. A third class is parquet, preassembled in square mosaics 

 from short, thin, narrow strips. 



Recommendations for laying, sanding, finishing, and maintaining hardwood 

 floors of all types are found in Anderson (1970, p. 134-139), in USDA Forest 

 Service, Forest Products Laboratory (1961), and in current publications of the 

 National Oak Flooring Manufacturers' Association, Memphis, Tenn. 



Species preferences. — Hardwoods most commonly used for flooring include 

 numerous species of oak, maple (principally Acer saccharum Marsh.), beech 

 (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.), birch (Betula sp.), and pecan {Carya sp.). While both 

 white and red oaks are processed into flooring, most is produced from the red 

 oaks, principally southern red oak, northern red oak, and black oak. 



y4-inch-thick tongue-and-groove strip flooring. — The predominant hard- 

 wood flooring is y4-inch thick, with 2'/4-inch-wide face and matching tongues 

 and grooves on edges and ends (fig. 22-5 top). The pattern has a hollow back to 

 make it rest securely on the floor substructure, and it has tapered edges to insure 

 a tight face joint. The tongue is machined at a set distance from the face to 

 support the strip flush with adjacent strips in case of underthickness. Normally 

 such flooring is machined face down on a planer-matcher to insure correct 

 positioning of tongue and groove. Flooring must be run on planer-matchers with 

 opposed sideheads to insure constant face width (fig. 18-139). Strips are random 

 length and the ends are also machined with tongues and grooves on end-match- 

 ers (fig. 18-223). 



